How do plants take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the environment?
Plants remove CO2 during the day by combining it with water to make a simple carbohydrate. Plants then turn the carbohydrate into sugars like glucose, using chemical energy stored in another substance known as ATP. Solar energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen combines with CO2 to form carbohydrates. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere as a byproduct. This process is known as photosynthesis. During the night, plants use oxygen to extract chemical energy in sugars and make more ATP. This process is known as respiration. It differs from combustion because the energy evolved is not in the form of heat or light. Like combustion however, the byproducts are carbon dioxide and water.
